Brake mechanism



C. 29, 1935. F Q FOLBERTH ET AL 2,018,845

BRAKE MECHANI SM Filed May 27, 1933 Gttomegs 'Patented oci. 29, 193s PATENT. OFFICE BRAKE MECHANISM Frederick G. solemn and miriam M. minerai, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 27, 1933, Serial No. 673,233l

1 Claim. (Cl. 1887-152) It has frequently been proposed to apply brakes; and particularly those of automotive vehicles, by uid pressure. In some systems a 1,0 source of supply of higher than atmospheric pressure is provided for furnishing the brake applying force and "in others a source of lower than .v atmospheric pressure is utilized. A common source of lower than atmospheric pressure is the reduced pressure created in the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine which drives the vehicle.

Our present invention is particularly designed to utilize this low pressure in the intake mam'- fold of an engine. In previously proposed braking systems of this type, with which we are familiar, a single master cylinder and piston, together with a control valve for controlling the pressure applied to the piston, has been utilized and the piston has been connected through suitable linkage to `operate the brakes on the wheels of the vehicle. In the present system it is proposed to 'provide individual pressure cylinders and pistons disposed `at each wheel and forming an integral part of the brake mechanism proper. With this 4 arrangement a single control valve may be located at any convenient point and the actuating presvehicle Wheels by suitable uid pressure conducting conduits.

Although our system is adapted for use either with a higher than atmospheric or lower than atmospheric pressure we prefer to utilize the low pressure created inthe intake manifold of internal combustion engines, as this forms a convenient and satisfactory source of brake applying power.

Among the objects of our invention are: the provision of a simple braking system for automotive vehicles in which the usual more or less complicated brake applying linkage is done away with; the vprovision of a fluid pressure actuated brake operating means which is adapted to be disposed within the brake drum and secured to the backing plate or apron; the provision of a brake operating mechanism in which automatic means are provided for adjusting the brake shoes to compensate for wear of the braking surfaces thereof the provision of a simple and compact brake applying'unit which is particularly adaptsure connected to the individual cylinders at the ed for economical construction and minimum upkeep cost and in which the necessity for manual adjustment 'of the brakes is eliminated.

The above and other objects of our'invention will appear from the following description of one .5 embodiment thereof, reference being -had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a brake unit equipped with our actuating and adjusting apparatus and showing the brake shoes in released 10 position.

Figure 2 is a `fragmentary crosssectlon taken on line 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of an automobile equipped with our improved brake sys- 15 tem. Y

The brake drum I may be of any suitable type and is'preferably attached to the vehicle wheel (not shown) in the customary manner. The backing plate or apron 2 is securedto the vehicle 2 axle (also not shown) and is provided with a recessed portion 3 in which th'e brake operating cylinder 4 is mounted. This cylinder 4 is provided with a ilange portion 5 which seats upon the outer wall of the recess 3 Vand may be secured 25 thereto by screws or rivets as indicated at 6.

In the type of brake illustrated, two-shoes 'I and 8 are provided. These are supported at their upper ends by th'e anchor pins 9 and I0, respectively, which are secured to and extend out from 30 the backing plate 2. 'I'he inwardly extending webs II and I2 of the shoes 1 and 8 are slotted at I3 and I4 to accommodate the anchor pins 9 y and I0 to permit the proper adjustment and braking action to take place regardless of whether 35 the vehicle Ais moving forward or backward. Ii the brake is applied when the drum is rotating in the direction of the arrow, the pin 9 will engage the end of slot I3 and anchor the shoes. Rota- 4may also be `provided to hold the upper ends of the shoes clear of the drum when the brakes are 50 released. The stop pins I9 and 20 -limit the movement of the lower ends of the shoes 'I and 8 in' releasing direction. It will be understood that the springs I5 and I6 always .exert a force tending to hold the flanges II and I2 of the shoes l 55 A1li and 8 against the pins I9 and 26 and thus to hold the braking faces of the shoes 1 and 8 out of contact with the brake drum I.

Our improved brake operating mechanism will now be described.

The bottom ends of the brake shoes 1 and 8 are provided with transversely extending webs 2I and 22 against which bear the rollers 23 and 24. These rollers are rotatably mounted at-the lower ends of the brake operating levers 25 and 26 which' levers are pivotally secured together by means of a floating pivot pin 21. Asis best seenin Figure 2 the upper ends of the levers 25 and 26 are offset as at 28 and are pivotally secured to the connecting links 29 and 30 which in turn are pivotally attached to the piston rods 3l and 32.

These piston rods 3| and 32 extend through.

and have a bearing ln suitable apertures inthe end caps 33 and 34 of the cylinder 4. YPistons 35 and 36 are adapted to move toward and away from each other within the cylinder 4 and are secured to the inner ends of the piston rods 3I and 32 respectively. -The actuating uid pressure vsupply source (such as the intake manifold of the vehicle engine) is connected to the cylinder 4 through the passage 31 which is formed in the nipple member 38. The outer end of the nipple 38 extends through the outer wall of the recessed portion 3 of the back plate 2and a flexible hose 39, or other suitable fluid pressure conducting conduit, extends to the source of actuating fluid pressure, it being understood that a suitable control valve may be interposed in this conduit at any convenient point between the cylinder 4 and the pressure supply source.

A brake shoe adjusting screw 46, having oppositely threaded ends, extends' across between the upper ends of the brake shoes 1 and 8. The oppositely threaded ends of the. member 46 engage in correspondingly threaded portions of the flanges I I and I2 of the brake shoes and a worm gear 4I is keyed or otherwise fixed to the central portion of the threaded adjusting member 46. By turning the worm gear 4I and the adjusting member 40 in the proper direction the upper ends of the shoes 1 and 8 may be spread apart. It is desirable to eiect this spreading action of the brake shoes when the braking surfaces thereof have become worn to such an extent that the braking action is impaired. In order to accomplish this we have provided an extremely simple and effective automatic adjusting mechanism which will now be described.

A supporting pin 42 is mounted on the backing plate 2 and extends inwardly toward the brake drum. The inner end of this pin 42 is formed to provide a pivot for the lower end of the lever 43 and a stop bracket 44 is secured to the pin 42 and is adapted to engage the lever 43 to prevent moveof the lever 43 is mounted a bar 41. This bar 41 is rotatably supported on a pin 48 and a flat spring 49, which is secured at its lower end to the lever 43 by'a screw 56 exerts a force tending to move the arm or bar 41 upwardly so that its inner end is held in engagement with the toothed ratchet wheel 5I. It will be noted that the inner Y end of arm 41 is formed in the shape of a hook which is adapted to engage the ratchet teeth of the wheel 5I and rotate said wheel when moved to the left (Figure 1) but not to rotate said wheel when moved to the right.

As is clearly seen in Figure 2 the ratchet wheel 5I is secured to the outer end of a shaft 52 which is rotatably mounted in a bearing formed in the 5 upwardly extending lug portion 53 of thecylinder 4. The shaft 52 is also supported by and has a bearing in the bracket 54 and is prevented from endwise movement thereby. A worm 55 is mounted on the shaft 52 and engages the worm wheel 10 4I. In order to prevent rotation of the worm 55, and consequently of the worm wheel 4I and adjusting screw member 40, in the wrong direction, that is, in a direction tending to draw the upper ends of the ishoes 1 and 8 together, a pawl 56 is 15 provided and is'preferably supported on a suitable lug 51 formed on the cylinder 4.

From the above description it will be seen that, when thelever 43 is moved to the right (Figure 1) a distance great enough to cause the hooked end 20 of the bar 41 to engage the next tooth on the ratchet wheel 5I, and is then released, the spring 45 will cause the lever 43 to be returned to its original position against the stop 44. This movement will turn the ratchet wheel 5I a relatively 25. small amount and will cause a corresponding movement of the worm 55, worm wheel 4I and adjusting screw 46. The oppositelythreaded ends of the adjusting screw 46 are so cut that this movement will cause the upper ends of the shoes 30 l 1 and 8 to be spread apart a certain predetermined and relatively small distance to compensate for lwear of the braking surfaces.

. In order to actuate the lever 43 to cause the above described` adjusting action to take place 35i' an arm 58 is. secured to the link 29 and extends f in a direction away from the backing plate 2 sufciently so that it may engage-the lever 43.

The action of our improved braking mechanism is as follows: 40A

As shown in Figure l the parts are in the positions they assume when the brake is completely released.l When it is desired to apply the brake the operator moves the control valve mechanism so that a certain degree of vacuum is applied 45 to the interior of the cylinder, between tht.` pis-l tons 35 and 36, through the conduit 39 and the port 31. As the opposite sides of the pistons 35 and 36 are `exposed to atmospheric pressure through apertures 59 in the end caps of the cyl- 50 inder 2,. the pistons 35 and 36 will be moved toward each other. This -movement will cause Y the upper ends of the levers 25 and 26 to also be moved toward each other and the lower ends thereof, together with the rollers 23 and 24, to be 55 i moved apart. -As the rollers 23 and'24 engage the transverse webs 2I and 22 of the brake shoes, this spreading movement of the lower ends of the levers 25`and 26 will cause the lower ends of the brake shoes vto be moved apart and the sur# 60 faces of the shoes to be moved into braking engagement with the inner surface of the drum. It will be understood, of course, that the braking force applied will depend upon the pressure differential between the inner and outer sides of the 05 pistons 35 and 36. By providing the levers 25 and 26 with relatively long upper ends and relatively short lower ends, these ends being defined in relation to the position of the oating pivot 21, a very considerable mechanical advantage is 70A obtained and thus a much smaller cylinder may be used with any given available operating pressure. It will be understood, of course, that the operating cylinder Aand the levers 25 and 26 together with the location of the pivot pin 21 will 75 be so proportioned that the desired braking force may be readily secured. By providing the links 29 and 30 between the upper ends of the levers 25 and 26 and the piston rods 3l and 32 the pistons and operating levers are positively connected and also the arcuate movement of the upper ends of the operating levers 25 and 26 is permitted.

When the brake lining 60, which is preferably secured to the outer faces of the shoes 1 and 8. is rst installed it is of maximum thickness. Under these conditions the maximum movement of the upper end of the lever 25 will not'cause the arm 58 to move the lever 43 and the bar 41 to t'ne right sufiiciently to engage the next tooth on the ratchet wheel 5I. However, it will be seen that if the brake lining 60 has become worn a full application of the brakes will cause the pistons 35 and 36 to be moved closer together than they do when the lining is of maximum thickness and eventually a point will be reached where the piston 35 will move suilciently to the right to cause the arm 58 to move the lever 43 and the bar 41 sufciently to the right so that the hooked end of the bar 41 will engage the next tooth of the ratchet wheel 5I. When this occurs, and the brakes are released by shutting ofi the actuating pressure, the spring 45 will cause the lever 43 and the bar 41 to be moved to the left until the lever 43 strikes the stop 44. During this movement the ratchet wheel 5I will be rotated a circumferential distance equal substantially to the length of one tooth and this rotation will eiect" a spreading of the upper ends of the brake shoes 1 and 8, as has been previously described. After this has occurred a full application of the brakes will not cause the bar 41 to engage the next tooth on the ratchet wheel 5I until the braking surfaces have again become worn a certain amount. Thus, with our improved automatic ad`` justing mechanism the brakes will be taken up whenever the braking surfaces have worn sufciently to permit the bar 41 to engage the next tem. The braking units indicated at 63 are'preferably of the type illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. From each of these brake units 63 iiuid pressure conducting conduits 64, 65, 66 and 61 extend to the control valve 63. The intake manifold 69 of the vehicle engine 10 is connected to the valve 6I by a conduit 1l and a brake controlling pedal 12 is adapted to operate the valve 66 and control l the application of the vehicle brakes. It will be seen that with this arrangement the control rvalve l 63 may be located at any convenient point on the vehicle, and, as' the only connections between the control valve and the brake units at the wheels are the conduits 64, 65, 66 and 61, the usual complicated and expensive brake operating linkage l is eliminated.

Although we have described the ,illustrated embodiment oi.' our invention in considerable detail. it will be understood by thoseiskilled in the art that modications and variations may be made 2 from the speciiic form herein shown and described without departing fr'm the spirit of our invention. We do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the specific details shown in the attached drawing and described in the specification,y but claim as our invention all -embodiments thereof coming within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim: In combination in brake mechanism of the 4type described. a brake drum, a backing plate,2

anchor pins secured 'to said backing plate and extending outwardly therefrom, brake shoes having inwardly extending web portions. said web portions being slotted to engage said anchor pins whereby movement of said shoes relative to said i pins will be restricted, a iiuid pressure cylinder secured to said backing plate, a pair of pistons in said cylinder, piston rods secured to said pistons and extending out of the opposite ends of said cylinder, a. pair of brake shoe operating levers@ pivoted together .at a point intermediate their ends by a floating pivot pin, one pair of ends of said levers being adapted to engage adjacent ends of said brake shoes, and links connecting the other pair of ends of said levers to the outer ends i of said piston rods whereby movement of said pistons in said cylinder maybe transmitted to said brake shoes and cause braking engagement of said shoes and drum and whereby said pair of levers 'and said floating pivot pin may move relag tive to the backing plate.

FREDERICK G. FOLBERTH. WILLIAM M. FOLBERTH. 

